The Undiscovered Country
by Bojack727
Summary: Things couldn't be better for Naruto & Hinata now that they're a couple. But while they go about their lives together, the threat of war looms. And will there even be a future for them as long as Madara is alive? Features other pairs as well. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1: The Word about Town

I really like Tsunade's character, but I felt that it was a cop-out to bring her back... Having her just wake up from a coma after less than a month and start being Hokage again spoiled the seriousness of what she'd done. For me, it made her sacrifice seem trivial, like it was no big deal- just something she could shrug off after a rest and a meal. That's why I'm keeping Kakashi on as the Hokage.

* * *

**THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY**

**Part I:**  
"**The Word about Town"**

**...o.o.o...**

Unlike usual, it was a quiet evening in the Hokage's Tower as Kakashi sat at his large desk, intently reading one of the various installments in the _"Make Out"_ series. The masked shinobi maintained his usual 'mask' of indifference as he silently read.

He set the book down when he heard the door at the other end of the room creak open. He quickly recognized the figure standing in the doorway as Anko Mitarashi. The eccentric (and attractive) female jounin entered the large room and approached the desk. She noted the tall pile of stamped documents and smiled slightly. "Sorry to disturb your reading," She began while maintaining her smile.

"But I figured you might like to have some company." She added, her smile widening as sat down on the desk. Kakashi tucked the book inside his coat when Anko hitched her leg up onto the desk.

A trained shinobi of Anko's caliber could pick up on even the slightest hint of a smile (even under the cover of a mask). But Kakashi was a professional and didn't give away anything- not even when prompted by the pale flesh of the slender leg before him.

The silver-haired ninja silently looked at her for a moment. "Well, when you put it like that... How could I possibly refuse?" He asked coolly as he leaned back in his chair. He casually glanced at the mesh-covered valley visible through the open front of her long coat. "After all, who am I to turn down such a _tempting _invitation?"

**...o.o.o...**

Yamato gave a sigh of relief as he stood before the gates of Konoha with his subordinates (Naruto, Sakura, and Sai). He promptly turned to face the three teens under his command. "Before you go, I just want to say that the three of you did well." He began with a slight smile. "But even more important, I see that you're on your way to becoming true comrades."

The Captain's smile broadened and he continued. "Just try and keep what I said in mind while you guys enjoy some down time." He informed them, placing his hands on his hips. "That goes double for you Naruto- try not to forget what I said this time."

Sakura laughed at the comment while her blond teammate blushed with embarrassment in reaction the comment. For his part, Sai simply maintained his usual practiced smile. Yamato chuckled as he observed the antics between the three of them.

After that, the four parted ways- the teens heading for their respective residences and the captain going to the tower to file his mission report. Yamato mused over the recent events- their mission had gone well and his three charges were truly starting to form a sense of camaraderie. More and more, he felt he could trust Sai- especially following the death of Black-Ops Danzo.

And that was another issue... Little was known of the circumstances in which he had died- except that it happened while he was fighting none other that Sasuke Uchiha. While several of Danzo's actions bordered on outright treason, he likely viewed them as being necessary to the preservation of Konoha- as in _the the ends justified the means_. And like a Shinobi, he'd lived and died on his own terms, so he was owed that much respect.

_Elsewhere in Konoha..._

Naruto arrived back at his modest apartment and quickly went inside. The teen entered his bedroom and set down his travel pack. He then quickly removed his flack vest and the rest of his gear, then went to take a quick shower. He had plans, so he didn't want to waist too much time here...

After his shower was finished, Naruto returned to his room to get dressed. He put on a new pair of black pants (since the orange ones had become too worn during his last few missions) and his usual orange and black breaker top over his mesh undershirt. He sat down on the edge of his bead and slipped on his usual sandal-style footware.

Naruto brushed back his blond hair and donned his headband. With all this done, he got to his feet and left his bedroom. He paused for a moment, stopping to look at a sheathed katana laying on his kitchen table. He started to reach for it, but stopped and turned away.

He paused again and looked back over his shoulder at it. He then nodded to himself and continued out the door. "Soon enough, soon enough..." He thought to himself as he left.

**...o.o.o...**

Naruto walked under the arch of the open gate and looked around. He couldn't see anyone on the grounds. Of course, the Hyuuga estate (including the land) was pretty expansive and he'd only really seen the front of the place up till now.

Naruto walked up along the paved walkway towards the front of the house, still not spotting anyone. He paused at the door, as if sensing something, and looked to his side to see a young girl with dark hair and the same pale eyes as Hinata looking at him through an open window. "What's wrong- why so tense?" She asked. "I mean, it's obvious why you're here..."

Naruto cleared his throat in an effort to compose himself. He was never really sure of how to act around people of status. "Uh... you know me?" He watched as the girl proceeded to effortlessly jump through the open window.

She stood up and gave him an unnerving smile as she brushed long strands of dark brown hair out of her eyes. "It doesn't take the Byakugan to see that you're Naruto Uzumaki..." She commented. "I was in the stadium when you took down cousin Neji." She began, gesturing to her pale eyes. "And of course... You're also my sister's _boyfriend._" She finished with an almost eerie smile.

Naruto suddenly blushed when the girl spoke the last part. "W-wait, you must be Hinata's little sister? You're Hanabi, right?" He asked, getting another smile and nod from her. "I, um, don't suppose you know where Hinata is... do you?" The blond managed to ask.

Hanabi simply nodded. "Sis is still out on a mission with Kiba and Shino and Mitarashi-Sensei." She replied calmly. "But she should be back any time now... And I'm sure she'll be real glad that you'll be here to greet her when she arrives." The girl reasoned with a smile.

After a moment, Naruto nodded and sat down on the front steps. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." The young ninja remarked with a smile. "If you don't mind me asking..." He began. "Just how long have you known about your sister and me?"

Hanabi took a seat beside him and smiled impishly. "Big Sis is a kind and caring person, but she's really an open book in a lot of ways..." She calmly explained. "It's been pretty obvious for some time now that there was someone in Konoha that she liked... Though I had no idea it was you until recently." She finished.

Naruto sighed and nodded, realizing that he really was pretty much the last person to realize the truth about Hinata's feeling for him- even a young kid had worked it out before he did! "Yeah... It's pretty easy to miss something important, even when it's right in front of you." He commented with a slight smile. "I sometimes wonder if I was the only one who didn't realize how she felt about me..."

Hanabi shook her head and leaned back. "Wow, from the sound of things, grown-up relationships sure sound complicated." She observed, making Naruto chuckle slightly as she continued. "Still, I can tell that she's a lot happier now." The girl remarked.

The blond shinobi looked at her for a moment, his interest now peaked by the young Hyuuga's comment. "Really? Er, what makes you say that?" He asked her calmly.

Hanabi looked up at him and smiled. "Well it's pretty obvious if you look... She smiles a lot more now." She replied, as if it was the most obvious fact in the world. "Being with you seems to make her really happy, so I guess it's all good." She reasoned with a smile.

**...o.o.o...**

Hinata and her teammates had returned to Konoha after completing their mission with little trouble. Despite her initial doubts, Anko-sensei had consistently proven herself to be a capable leader. Despite the woman's antics, the dark-haired girl had come to admire her.

When she arrived home, she was surprised to find none other than Naruto _and_ her sister sitting out in front of the house. The two of them seemed to be in the middle of a conversation when they noticed her approach. Naruto stood up and ran over to her. "N-naruto! What are you doing here?" She blurted out as the blond wrapped his arms around her. Hinata went wide-eyed briefly as he picked her up in the embrace!

After a moment, he set her down and pulled back. He smiled warmly at her. "Isn't it obvious?" He began, still holding her gently. "I came because I wanted to see you, Hinata." He replied, causing her usual blush to darken considerably. "Now that we're both done with our missions, why don't we go do something fun?"

She eventually managed to compose herself enough to respond. "Oh Naruto... I'm always glad to see you. You just surprised me, that's all." She replied with a smile. "I... Well I just need to wash up first, then we can out." She replied.

Naruto blushed slightly and took a step back. "Oh yeah, of course- sorry about that." He replied awkwardly. "I guess I just got a little overexcited... I'm just so happy to see you."

"Come on sis," Hanabi began with a sigh, looking at her blushing sister. "Go on and get cleaned up... I'll show Naruto to the waiting room." She offered with a smile. Hinata nodded and quickly ran inside the house. The younger sister motioned for Naruto to follow her.

Naruto sat down in the large waiting room of the house. He knew enough about the Hyuuga clan to know that their ocular powers were one of Konoha's most highly guarded secrets. Yet he hadn't seen any guards anywhere since he'd arrived. Then again, perhaps that was the point- you weren't supposed to know where the guards were. And if you followed that train of thought, there could be ANBU lurking in the shadows for all he knew! After all, the point of the Black-Ops was that you weren't aware of them until it was too late...

"Don't worry, Father's out on family business." Hanabi announced with a smile. "I couldn't go with him this time because of my training." She added. Naruto nodded, recalling that she was now about the same age as he was when he first began doing missions. Though he suspected that things would go much smoother for the young Hyuuga.

About twenty minutes later, Hinata arrived in the waiting room- her hair was still slightly damp from her shower. She had on her usual capri pants and ninja-style sandals. However, in place of her hooded jacket, she had on a simple loose-fitting black t-shirt. And as always, her Konoha headband hung around her neck. Naruto smiled to himself as he rose to his feet.

Hinata took a deep breath before speaking. "I hope you don't mind, but I really wanted to go visit Kurenai-sensei to see how she's doing." The girl paused for a moment. "And then, well, we can go do something else." She finished with a nervous smile.

The blond teen nodded. "That's no problem at all Hinata." He replied with a smile. "Though, if we're going to visit Kurenai-sensei, then we should probably pick up something for her at the Yamanaka Flower Shop." He reasoned in a thoughtful tone.

The raven-haired girl nodded and left with Naruto, leaving the Hanabi to smile to herself as she watched the two of them depart...

**(- End of Part I -)**

**

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**I always like being able to use characters in my stories that I haven't used before. And in this case, it was Hanabi. This is my first time trying to write for her, so I hope I got her right. Keep in mind that I'm trying to use the character more positively then she might normally come across. In many ways, she clearly has her act together much more so than Hinata.

I've got a lot planned for this storyline- especially regarding some of the more recent events in the manga. While the storytelling has really improved recently, I don't think that sending Naruto to that island was a good idea (though his 'reunion' with his mother partly made up for it). I don't like seeing Naruto treated like he's stupid, even for the convenience of the plot. Especially since the whole cover story of cataloging the animals resulted in that _awful _"joke" involving the armadillo.

The plot's likely to diverge even more as things go on, though I'll explain thing more in the next chapter... Anyway, you can be sure to expect more Naru/Hinata content in future chapters.


	2. Chapter 2: Bonds of Blood and Faith

Kishimoto is one of the best writers I've seen in a long time. His ability to craft storylines that play out over years (in some cases, over the course of a decade) is amazing. Add to that, he's able to develop dozens of characters at the same time. Yet he seems to feel that keeping Naruto stupid and in the dark is essential to the plot.

But then, his storytelling seems to always get_ stupid_ whenever Sasuke shows up. I'm honestly convinced that Kishomoto doesn't like writing for Sasuke because he basically shoved him in a drawer (after Danzo died) and the storytelling immediately got better as soon as that little emo twerp was gone. Seriously, Kishimoto-sama, give Naruto the respect he deserves- he _is_ the STAR of the comic after all!

* * *

**THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY**

**Part II:**  
_**"****Bonds of Blood & Faith"**_

**...o.o.o...**

Naruto and Hinata were walking down the streets of Konoha. The blond ninja was carefully holding onto a bouquet of different colored flowers. "So, Hinata... How are things going with Anko as your team's captain?" He asked the dark-haired kunoichi.

She flushed at the question initially, but then smiled. "Well, at first I was a little worried about her leading us- because she seemed kind of _strange_ at the time..." Hinata explained. "Still, I've learned that that's just how she is." She replied with a smile. "In spite of how she acts sometimes, Anko-Sensei really is a good captain."

He nodded knowingly. "Yeah, I can certainly understand- I'm certainly no stranger when comes to having an 'odd' captain..." Naruto offered. "But as for the Anko, my first encounter with her was pretty 'strange' as well." He continued with a nervous smile. "But as I've learned more about her over the years, I've sort of come to respect her." The blond admitted.

"Oh yeah," Naruto suddenly began. "How is Kurenai-sensei doing these days? I haven't seen her in while because of my missions, so I'm sort of out the loop."

Hinata smiled and nodded. "Well, both Kurenai-san and her baby are doing well..." She began. "And Shikamaru also checks in on her regularly to make sure they're both okay."

"Still, it must be difficult raising a child on her own." Naruto remarked. "As it is, she probably wont be able to return to her ninja duties any time soon."

Hinata shook her head. "That's alright... Her daughter is the most important thing right now." She countered. "Kurenai-sensei has done a lot for me over the years, but it's time that I started standing up for myself." She reasoned with a smile. "I remember how she once told me that her father told hers something when she was younger- he'd said that insuring the safety the next generation is one of the most important thing that a parent can do."

Her words caused Naruto a slight chill, but he quickly shrugged it off. "Yeah, I recall my mother and father both said something like that as well..." He replied with an awkward smile. "But anyway, remind me again- what did Kurenai name the kid?"

**...o.o.o...**

Kurenai sat down (with a sigh) and watched as her two young guests fawned over her child. She found herself unable to hide a small smile as none other than the former pest of Konoha- Naruto Uzumaki- cradled her child. Hinata, the ever-diligent student and pupil that she was, was close by to make sure he held the infant correctly.

Naruto smiled at the tiny infant. "_Kiyoko_... Yes, it has a nice sound to it." He began. "It's a wonderful name, Kurenai-san." Naruto commented, sparing her a glance as he held the girl in his arms.

Hinata looked at the child in question and smiled. "Wow... She's so beautiful Kurenai-Sensei." The dark-haired girl gushed. "And her eyes- she has the eyes of the Yuhi Clan." She remarked as she looked at the distintive rippled pattern in the infant's crimson eyes.

Kurenai smiled and nodded. "She may have my eyes, but my intuition as a mother tells me that she going to have her father's determination." She remarked with a wistful smile. "As for the name- well, I wanted to give her a name that would reflect her purity. More than anything, I don't want her touched by all the conflict happening at the moment."

Naruto nodded. "I can understand... I was named after the main character from one of my late master's books. His dream was to bring peace to the world." He explained with a smile. "I believe in that dream as strongly as Jiraiya and the main character did..." Naruto remarked. "I want to see that dream become a reality... so that future generations won't have to experience what we've seen."

Kurenai became quiet for a moment. "Naruto... When I look at you now, I realize just how much you've grown over the years." The dark-haired woman commented with a smile. "And I can see now that you're no longer the rowdy undisciplined kid you used to be... You're becoming a man now, a good man." She finished as she wiped her crimson eyes.

Naruto became quiet as he took in her words. "Wow... Kurenai-sensei..." He began hesitantly. "I... I'm not really sure how to respond to that..." Naruto admitted with a nervous smile as he continued to cradle the infant Kiyoko in his arms. "I guess the only thing I can say... is thank you."

**...o.o.o...**

Shikamaru opened the door to the archives and looked around. He smiled to himself when he spotted Shiho off in the distance...

The female cryptographer yelped and jumped slightly at the familiar sensation of something gently brushing against the back of her neck. She whirled around, blushing, in time to see Shikamaru smiling at her as his shadows withdrew back into him. She sighed and straightened the lapels of her coat before removing her glasses. "Honestly, Shika, you're such a tease sometimes."

The dark-haired haired youth just grinned. "You know Shiho, I've seen my mother make that exact same face that you're giving me now at both me and my dad." He countered with another smile. "Though you'll doubtlessly be glad to know that I didn't come here simply to pester you... I have, in fact, brought lunch." He announced, holding up a satchel.

The girl shook her head and smiled. "My hero," The girl began. "Though... I was thinking that I could do with a break." She replied as she walked up to Shikamaru to kiss him on the cheek, causing him to smile slightly awkwardly as they moved on.

The two found a table in a secluded area and sat down to eat. "You know, I spotted Naruto and Hinata out together earlier when I was picking up lunch." Shikamaru remarked as his opened his convenience store bento. "They sure seem to be getting along well..."

Shiho smiled as she opened her own bento- breaking the freshness seal. "Good for them," She began as she separated the plastic chopsticks that came with the meal. "I always thought that those two made a good couple." She added as she began to eat of a piece of omelet.

Shikamaru smirked as he brandished his chopsticks. "Perhaps... Though I don't think they make as good a couple as the two of us." He remarked suavely, before he lifted up a piece of fish to eat.

Shiho blushed, chuckling at his remark. "Well, that is true..." She replied with a smile.

**...o.o.o...**

Naruto and Hinata were sitting in the shade, under the cover of the striped awning of the ramen shop. The dark-haired girl was holding a can of pre-made tea (with lemon) while the blond was getting ready to eat. "Are you sure you don't want anything to eat since we're here?"

Hinata shook her head with a small smile. "No thanks Naruto, it's alright..." She began, pausing to take a sip from her tea. "Er, well... To be honest, I've never really been very good at handling salty food- it kind of bothers my stomach." She admitted.

Naruto grinned at the admission as he lifted up his chopsticks and attempted to slurp up the noodles as quietly as possible. "It's cool, everyone's always reminding me that I need to try and eat a more balanced diet..." He replied, lowering his chopsticks as he continued. "At least I picked the prawn and veg bowel instead of the pork." He added with a broad smile.

Hinata nodded as he spoke over the ramen bowel. "Earlier, what Kurenai-sensei said..." She started to say in a slightly nervous voice. "It's all true... And I can tell that you're going to become an important part of Konoha's future."

Naruto smiled to himself and looked to the girl sitting beside him. "You're amazing Hinata- you really do know me so well... You always know just what to say." He commented with a smile, before taking another mouthful of food. "But if I really am destined to the Hokage some day- even possibly help shape history... Then, I want you to be there alongside me..."

Further back inside the ramen shop, the owner smiled and wondered to himself when exactly the reckless blond (who'd been coming to his shop all these years) had become so... Well, _eloquent_ was the only way to put it- especially when observing how he interacted with the girl beside him who was obviously his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Naruto mulled over things as he ate. "You know, I just always took it for granted that I'd become a ninja eventually and make a name for myself." He began. "But after everything that's happened, I wonder if I'd still wanted to follow this path if I'd known then what I know now...?" The teen added, pausing to look at the girl beside him. "Still, in the end, I just can't see myself doing anything else." He finished with a smile.

Hinata nodded. "I... er, I personally think it was fate." She replied with a small smith and her pale cheeks flushed a faint rosy color. "I mean... When you think about all the things that've contributed to making you the person you are now... Well, to me at least, it seems like it was meant to be."

Naruto turned to look at her. "You really thank so?" He asked casually as he finished his bowel of ramen and quickly paid for it.

The raven-haired kunoichi nodded as the two of them got to their feet. "Yes, I do." She replied calmly as they departed. "Naruto, ever since I first saw you... I knew that you had the determination, the strength, and the courage to do great things." She explained. "And it was that indomitable will that caused me to fall in love with you."

Naruto stopped suddenly and became silent. "You know, Hinata..." He began as he turned to face the girl, his tone was calm as he spoke. "When say things like that, I can't help but think about just how much I love you." He said with a smile as he caressed her cheek. "...And how I'm in danger of falling even more in love with you." He remarked, flashing her his usual broad smile.

Hinata suddenly felt breathless, as well as a longing for the blond before her to kiss her. However, the two's attention was drawn aside when someone called out to Naruto. The two turned to see one of Kakashi's attendants approach them.

The ninja paused for a moment. "Naruto Uzumaki, I have bad news..."

**...o.o.o...**

Kakashi sat at his desk. Captain Yamato was there in the office as well, along with as Naruto and his two teammates- Sakura and Sai. Hinata was there as well, having instinctively remained at Naruto's side. It was Yamato who finally spoke up.

The Captain cleared his throat. "We've received word from our Anbu Agents stationed in the capital of the Land of Rain..." He began in a serious tone. "Six hours ago, Rain came under attack... A single individual that slipped, undetected, into the city. In the aftermath, our intel has since confirmed the intruder as being the masked leader of the Akatsuki- Madara Uchiha."

"He was able to circumvent all of our defenses and infiltrate the city... Shortly after his arrival, Konan- the acting leader of Amekagore- confronted Madara and engaged him in battle." Yamato paused, glancing at Naruto before continuing. "She was very badly wounded and would have died if our Anbu hadn't found her when they did... She's been stabilized, but remains in critical condition."

Kakashi nodded to himself and stood up. "Naruto, there's something else I believe you should know..." The masked shinobi began, looking directly at his former pupil. "After defeating Konan, Madara then broke into the tombs beneath the Central Tower..." Kakashi then seemed to hesitate for a moment, before he went on. "I'm not really sure how to tell you this... He took Nagato's eyes."

**(- End of Part 2 -)**

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The fact that Naruto and Hinata are together is probably the most obvious sign that this story doesn't fully follow the official storyline. Still, while I have changed several things, I felt that it was important to keep certain elements in this story.

As for the changes with Konan... I might explain it more in the following chapters. However, at the moment I will say this- I just didn't like the idea of killing her off (especially, as she's one of the few pro-active female ninjas in the comic.) I also tend to have a more optimistic view of Naruto, so I write him as being more sensitive and introspective than some would expect. I personally think that he possesses the strong character and morals of a true hero.

Anyway, see you all in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3: Matters of the Heart

It was always my intention that this (essentially a sequel) would be more serious than the previous NaruHina story that I wrote. I wanted to further develop the characters along the path I'd set them on while also developing the larger story going on around them.

But this is still a NaruHina romance story, so you can still look forward to some lighter scenes between them as the story goes on. And this story isn't over yet, as there are still a number of issues that I plan to touch upon as the story progresses. So please stay with me on this.

Special thanks to BigBootyBaby, Rose Tiger, and draco122 for their reviews

* * *

**THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY**

**Part III:**_**  
"Matters of the Heart"**_

**...o.o.o...**

The revelation of the attack against Rain had come as terrible shock to everyone. The small land was, in effect, a defacto protectorate of Konoha- and therefore under the protection of Leaf. So the idea that an international criminal had effortlessly bypassed all their measures was disturbing.

Yet, it was particular bitter news for Naruto. The blond teen had fallen uncharacteristically silent in the wake of the information, leaving the others to mull over the implications of it all. Suddenly, the blond ninja broke the silence. "I have to go Amekagure!" He began. "I... I have to go, I need to see how Konan-san is doing." He added.

Kakashi shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to leave..." He replied, noting the teen's confused expression. "Don't you see? There's a good chance that that's what the enemy is counting on you doing." The silver-haired Ninja sat back down and continued. "Don't forget that the Akatsuki would like nothing more than to have you in their clutches... and in control of the vast powers of the Tailed-Beast contained within you."

Naruto seemed to mull over his former sensei's words for a moment. "B-but we can't just let Madara and the Akatsuki get away with what they've done!" He countered. "He tried to kill Konan and defiled Nagato's remains!"

Kakashi nodded. "I agree, and I have no intention of allowing them to keep doing as they like." He replied. "But at the same time, we can't just rush in... I have to consider the wellbieng of all the people of Konoha, and you should appreciate the magnitude of the danger that would result if the Fox's power ever came under the control of Madara again."

Naruto became silent for a few moments, then nodded. "...Yes, you're right." He began in an unusually subdued voice. "There's been too much needless death and destruction already... And I have no intention of becoming another part of that monster's arsenal."

"But one day, I will make Madara Uchiha pay for everything he's done... To me, to the people I care about, to everyone!" Naruto added in a determined voice. "All of you here know me well enough to realize that I don't make idle promises... I don't back down, I don't give up, and I never go back on my word!" He declared. "That is my _nindo_. So believe me when I say that I WILL protect Konoha and I WILL make Madara answer for ALL of his crimes!"

With that, Naruto turned around and walked out of the large office...

**...o.o.o...**

Naruto was heading down along an empty corridor of the Hokage Tower, when he heard someone call out to him. He paused and looked over his shoulder to see Hinata approach. The dark-haired girl stopped and looked at him apprehensively. "Naruto...?"

The blond ninja saw the obvious concern in the girl's pale eyes. His demeanor softened and he smiled at her. Hinata wasn't any good and hiding her feelings, so he knew (from experience) that whatever he was seeing was the real thing with her. "You're worried about me?" He began, reaching out his hand to caress her cheek. "I'm sorry if I upset you back there, I guess I got a little worked up, eh?" He asked, giving her a smile.

"Anyway, let's get out of here, I could use a change of scenery." Naruto remarked, turning back around to leave the tower. Hinata was at a loss as to how to respond at first. But as she took off after him, she became even more determined...

As the two neared the front entrance, Hinata made up her mind. She rushed up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder, bring him skidding to a sudden halt. "...Naruto, wait!" She exclaimed, headless of anyone that might be within range of hearing or seeing them. The raven-haired teen surprised Naruto yet again as she embraced him from behind.

"Hinata, what are you-" He started to say.

"Naruto..." She began nervously. "I... I know that you're really upset, more upset than you're letting on." She exclaimed, still holding onto him. "So please, don't shut me out..." She pleaded. "I love you and I want to help you." She finished.

Naruto was silent for a moment, then smiled to himself. She turned around, without braking her hold on him, and faced her. "I'm sorry, I guess I forgot that you know me just as well..." He replied, putting his arms around her. "I love you too." He added, leaning in to plant a kiss on her lips.

Hinata eventually pulled back, her cheeks still flushed, and smiled at him. "Come on, let's go find somewhere where we can talk in private..."

**...o.o.o...**

Kakashi leaned back in his chair. "I can't blame him, he's right to be upset..." The silver-haired Hokage remarked. "We have to do something about the situation in Rain... and something about the situation with Konan." He added with a sigh.

The masked ninja turned to face Sakura as he continued. "Sakura, I'd like it you went to Rain and assisted with Konan's recovery... You've long since proven yourself, so your medical skills would be invaluable to them now." He paused, leaning forward. "However, considering the current situation, I'd understand if you didn't want to." He added.

The pink-haired medic ninja nodded. "I'd be happy to help in any way I could." She replied with a small smile. "It's the least I can do, considering her link to Lord Jiraiya, and what she means to Naruto as a fellow pupil of his master." She added calmly.

Kakashi nodded. "Thank you, Sakura, I'm indebted to you." He replied, smiling at her from under his mask. "Sai, I'd like for you to accompany her on this mission." He told the dark-haired young man. "You ARE part of Team 7, so I'm ready to extend my trust to you to help ensure here safety." He explained, getting a polite nod from him.

He then turned to "Yamato, you will act as the mission leader... I'll leave it to you to recruit a skilled Sensory Ninja and any other members and resources you deem necessary."

Yamato nodded. "Of course, I'll get onto it right away." He replied smartly. "I already have some suitable candidates in mind." The former black-ops added with a smirk. He then turned and motioned to Sakura and Sai. "Alright you two, let's get ready."

The two teens nodded and three of them left the office. Kakashi watched them depart, then turned around his chair to look the large window. He sighed and shook his head as he looked up at the four current reliefs on the face of the mountain...

**...o.o.o...**

Hinata watched silently as Naruto kneeled down in front of the memorial. He paused, lingering over the name inscribed on it. "I've put this off for too long..." He began in a serious tone as he placed the a slender bouquet of white flowers at the base. "Thanks for everything, _Pervy Sage_." He added will a wistful smile, wiping his eyes.

He slowly stood back up and looked at Hinata. "Lord Jiraiya taught me so much, far more than I ever realized at the time." He began with a smile. "But it's only just recently that I've come to realize that he wasn't just teaching me jutsu... He was also teaching me how to be a good person- to be the 'hero' that he believed would one day bring peace to the world."

The blond-haired shinobi continued. "And as his student, I've inherited to his will to never give up..." Naruto explained to Hinata. "Because like Master Jiraiya once said- _'Being a ninja isn't about mastering jutsus, it's about having the will to endure'." _He then paused and looked away from her, averting his gaze. "...And yet, I still miss him- I still feel the pain of loosing him just as strongly as when I first learned of his death."

Hinata cold tell that he was on the verge of loosing his composure. She moved in and put her arms around him, gently rubbing the back of his head. Moments later, he began sobbing softly into her shoulder. "It's alright, you have nothing to be ashamed of..." She told him in a soothing voice. "It's alright to cry- you have to grieve, otherwise you can't move on with your life." She told him.

He inhaled roughly. "I- I thought I'd gotten over all this... But here I am, crying again after all this time..." Naruto managed to say between his tears. "I- I feel so weak right now..." He added in an unusually timid voice.

She continued, still holding him. "Naruto, if you're not able to cry, then it means you were able to laugh either... So this just shows how much he meant to you." She explained. "And crying isn't a sign of weakness, it shows that you cared... And your compassion for others has always been your greatest strength."

Naruto pulled back and wiped his eyes. "...Thank you, Hinata." After a few moments, he managed to compose himself enough to be able to face her.

**...o.o.o...**

Neji listened calmly as Yamato explained the situation to him. "Yes of course Captain, I understand." He replied with a nod. "I gather then that you'll be departing soon?"

The former Anbu Operative nodded. "Exactly... So we're going to need your sensory abilities for the mission." He explained. "You'll be serving as the 'Point' for the team." Yamato continued. "Myself and Sai will act as the core- specifically in ensuring Sakura's safety." The brown-haired man paused. "Thanks for helping us out on such short notice."

Neji chuckled slightly and nodded. "It's really no problem... And to be honest, this mission is a nice change of pace. Plus, I owe Naruto just as much as everyone else does."

"Yamato-sensei, do you have anyone else in mind for this mission?" Sakura asked as she and Sai approached the two of them. Both of them were fully equipped and ready.

He smiled and nodded at her in response. "Actually, I've considered the various factors involved- including time restraints- and I think that Kiba Inuzuka would be suitable for providing the main offense of the team." He offered the group.

**...o.o.o...**

It was mid afternoon as Naruto and Hinata sat in the grass, near a small lake in a secluded wooded area of Konoha. The blond brushed a hand through his hair and exhaled. "Hinata..." Naruto began somewhat hesitantly. "Thanks again for earlier, for being there for me..."

Hinata smiled warmly and shook her head. "It's nothing, don't worry about it, Naruto." She began calmly, looking up at the sky. "We all have things that are difficult for us- things that are hard to talk about." She reasoned, giving him a small smile. "I'm just happy that I was able to be there for you."

"Thank you." Naruto replied with a smile of his own. "I'm not sure if it was the stress getting to me or if I'd been keeping it all pent up inside me... Still, I am grateful for everything you've done for me." He offered. "And you have done a lot for me, more than you give yourself credit for." The youth offered, giving her a broad smile.

Hinata blushed at his words and quickly turned her face away from him, which only caused the blond-haired ninja's smile to widen. Naruto sat back and watched her silently for a moment before speaking up once more. "You're still worried about me, aren't you?" He asked. "You really are worried that I'm going to die- that I'll be killed in battle against Madara or _him_?"

The raven-haired kunoichi stayed silent as she pulled her knees up against her body. "Of c-course I'm u-upset..." She replied, her pale eyes glaring at him as she spoke. "I love you, I have for the longest time... All I've ever wanted was to be with you." She countered, frustration in her voice.

"But now, just as it seems like I've finally found r-real h-happiness with you, I have to deal with the idea that you're being targeted by some lunatic!" Hinata added, her eyes watering. "It's not fair! Being with you, being part of your life- it's all I've ever wanted since I first saw you... And now, the thought of loosing you is just too cruel!"

Naruto approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, come on now..." He began, rubbing her shoulder. "You don't really think that I'm going to let myself get killed after everything we've been through, do you?" He asked, giving her a sincere smile. She looked up at him- her pale lavender eyes watery as she met his gaze.

She let out a small gasp of surprise as he pulled her into an embrace- both of them now in a kneeling position. Naruto ran his hand soothingly through her long silky black hair as he held her. "Hinata... I love you." He told her softly, his hand coming to rest near the base of her spine. "I have no intention of dieing, not when I have so much to live for... Like you."

He gently tilted her chin up so that she was now facing him. "Unlike the people we're fighting, I want to be able to have a normal life one day, and I want you to be part of it..." He paused, brushing the tears from her eyes. "I want it all, to experience everything that life has to offer- and most importantly, I want to be there to experience it with me." Before she could respond, Naruto closed the gap between them and kissed her softly on the lips.

He could feel a sigh escape her lips as she relaxed as her soft form eased into his arms. She pressed her body against his, putting her arms around his shoulders while his hands came to rest at her waistline. Hinata gasped when she his tongue brush against hers, though she quickly gave in and returned the gesture. The heated kiss continued for a moment, till Naruto moved his hands down to her round bottom and gave it a light squeeze.

Hinata let out a yelp and pulled back, red-faced, to look at Naruto. He was also blushing slightly, though he still had the nerve to flash her an impishly fox-like grin. The blond shinobi slowly got to his feet and offered her his hand. She accepted and he effortlessly hoisted her onto her feet. She looked at him for a moment, still blushing, but quickly smiled back him.

"You see, Hinata, _that's_ what I'm fighting for..." He explained to her. "I'm fighting for us, so that I can protect _our_ future." He added, making her blush as he spoke. "And it's thanks to your belief in me that I have the strength to go on fighting." He finished, giving her another foxy smile.

She nodded and smiled. "Of course..."

**...o.o.o...**

Kabuto looked up and smiled eerily as Madara walked into the room. "Aah Maadaara, I take iit that yourr renewed vigor meansss that the transsplant of the Rinnegan haas beeen sssuccessful?" He asked as the masked warrior sat down in the skeletal chair at the head of the long table inside the Akatsuki Headquarters.

"Of course... After all, I was only retaking what was rightfully mine from the start." Madara replied as he seated himself. "Experience has taught me that all ventures must eventually come to an end." He mused calmly to the altered scientist. "While the final result could be looked upon as a failure, I consider the retrieval of the eyes a suitable consilation in the long run."

The snake-like man nodded as he walked down the length of the table. "Yesss, though I think thaat my medicaal abilllities played a paart iin the proccesss." Kabuto countered deviously with a smile, his voice distorted and serpentine. "As aan Uchiha, your DNA was largely iincompatable with Nagato's... My interrrvention made it possible."

Kabuto sat down at the chair on the face end of the table. "Aas for ownership of the eyesss, I would thiink that the Uzumaki clan would disspute thaat claim." He added, his face partially obscured by the shadow cast by his hood.

"Perhaps so." He began. "Though it's a purely hypothetical matter, as only one blood-linked clan descendant now remains." Madara retorted with a faint chuckle. "It's Ironic... That blood of the Uchiha clan now exists within only two people, while the blood of both the Uzumaki and Senzu Clans now exists only in one person."

Kabuto nodded as he leaned back. "Yesss, fate does ssseem to haave a senssse of irony, doesn't iit?" He replied with a broad grin. "Though, it isss raather fortutitous iif you think about it... When the boy diesss, it wiill be the final end of both clans."

"Yes, an interesting point." Madara remarked. "When I last spoke to Naruto, it was under somewhat _strained_ circumstances..." He added in a casual tone. "Perhaps it's time that the two of us had a propper heart-to-heart conversation?"

**(- End of Chapter 3 -)**

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Well, I did say there would be more NaruHina content! I hope that all the shippers out there enjoyed reading this. I really enjoyed writing the scenes between them, especially since I was able to explore their desires and their vulnerabilities. As you can see, I tend to write Naruto as being more mature and composed. Of course, it was also fun to show him being a little purvy as well!

I chose to spare Konan because I respect her character, I thought it was unfair that she died. The series really needs more strong, proactive female characters. I enjoy writing for females characters, so I tend to throw myself into writing the dialoge for Hinata and Shiho and the others. And if you're wondering about the scene at the end with Kabuto and Madara... Well, I always interpret Kabuto's dailogue as being affected by the transformation he's undergoing. As aside from the hiss, it's also become distorted, like the G-Man character from the Half Life games.


	4. Chapter 4: Something to Believe In

I currently have a pretty good idea of where this story is going, especially in regards to the characters and future story points. I always planned for this story to be more 'epic', what with all the themes of fate, war, and history running through it. And it's because of those themes that I ended up giving it the title that I did. Though for now, I'll leave it you guys to work out the significance of the title…

Anyway, I'd like to say thanks to Rose Tiger, Draco122, and Adngo714 and everyone else for taking the time to review this. Thanks guys!

* * *

**THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY**

**Part IV:**  
**_"_**_**Something to Believe in"**_

Naruto walked into a clearing and sat down in the grass and unzipped and removed his black and orange jacket. He flipped the latches on a long wooden case and flipped it open. The young ninja reached in and lifted up a sword handle. It was about 12 inches long, bound in black ray skin and wrapped tightly in dark yellow sageo lace. Both the end-piece and the tsuba hilt were made from a dark golden colored metal.

"_Because unlike you, I want that title someday... It's my dream to be the Hokage!"_

He smiled faintly to himself as he recalled the early (and rather hostile) exchange between himself and Tsunade, back when he only called her 'Granny'. Naruto then set the handle down and picked up a long blade from the box. The metal was a shiny black color- the bottom 10 inches of the blade were tapered while the remaining 30 inches formed into long cutting blade with a subtle curve.

"_You said to me that all things decay eventually, but you're wrong... There is one thing that will always endure, this feeling- it will never decay!"_

Apparently, Tsunade had said that to Orochimaru right before all hell had broken loose and their massive six-person battle royal kicked off! Naruto then carefully slid two small metal pieces up along the tapered segment (where it met the cutting wider blade) before sliding it down into a narrow slot inside the handle. Once the blade was firmly in place and lined up, he carefully inserted wooden pegs into slots to hold it- effectively making it one solid object.

"_The most important talent for a Shinobi is not the number of jutsu... The most important thing is having the guts to never give up!"_

Naruto smiled, recalling his master's mantra as he held the sword up to the light to inspect it. He noted how blade picked up the light. The gentle curve of the razor-sharp blade practically lit up before him with the hair-thin apex seemed to glow in the light. He moved the sword around a bit, watching the light bounce of black metal. He slowly got up onto his feet.

"_I'm doing this to protect Konohagakure... So from here on out, it's my life on the line! Because some day, this kid's going to be the Hokage!"_

Tsunade had said that as she protected him from Orochimaru. He nodded to himself, thinking about how she'd put her faith in him. But even more significantly, she'd been able to believe in something once again- she'd gotten her faith back. He held up the sword, gripping the handle firmly in both hands and spread his feet apart. He slowly drew the sword back towards himself, then swung it back out in a quick fluid motion.

"_When people are hurt, they learn to hate... When people hurt others, they become hated... But knowing that, pain also allows people to be kind. Pain allows people to grow."_

He recounted Nagato's lamentation as he took a step forward and performed an almost imperceptible slash with the sword. He drew back, then advanced while performing a series of rapid slashes and thrusts- turning on his feet multiple times as he continued. Naruto then took a step back, holding the sword in one hand- twirling the sword in a flourish.

"_I will break the curse... So if there really is such a thing as peace, I will find it."_

"_Those words...?"_

He switched the sword between his hands amidst a series of flourishes. He started advancing with the sword in his right hand and performing thrusts. Naruto instantly turned the other way, putting his left leg and arm forward while pulling back and holding the sword horizontal. He then began performing lightning-quick slashes and thrusts. He stopped and turned around, swinging the blade in a crescent-shaped arch- creating a faint whistling sound as he did so.

"_That's right... Lord Jiraiya wrote this book to try and change the world. In it, he says he was inspired by a pupil... You were that pupil, Nagato!"_

Naruto performed a few more cuts and thrusts, along with various flourishes. Once he finished, he stepped back and bent his knees- moving the left foot back for leverage. He raised the sword up so that his hands were almost level with his chest. The blond ninja fixed his gaze intently on the blade and slowly began manipulating his Chakra. He continued to silently look upon the weapon, gradually feeling his energy flowing into his hands...

"_The Main character's name... Naruto! My name is a precious memento given to me by my master... So I won't give up and trample over this memento! I will become Hokage, I'll bring peace to Amekagure... So please, believe in me!"_

He recalled his promise to Nagato as he watched the blade start to go faintly. He could feel his Chakra slowing through his body and into the sword. Naruto narrowed his eyes and concentrated on controlling the flow of his energy. As the Chakra in the blade built up, a halo of energy formed around it. Then, in a split secant, he turned around and cut a wide downward slash at a 45 degree angle...

"_Please accept these... It's my hope that these will serve as flowers of hope that will never die."_

The Shadow Doppelganger, that been sneaking up on him, was violently thrown back by Naruto's wind-infused attack! The double vanished amidst an explosion of smoke. The blond stepped back and let out a sigh as he thought about Konan.

Naruto walked over and picked up the sword's long black scabbard. "I'm not going to let anyone important to me ever by hurt by these people ever again." He remarked to himself in serious voice while he re-sheathed the sword.

**...o.o.o...**

Captain Yamato and Sakura, along with Sai, made their way down the corridor. The three were flanked by Neji and Kiba. The small group arrived at a locked doorway guarded by an Anbu wearing a feline mask. The Black-Ops looked at them for a moment, then exchanged a glance with Yamato. He nodded and opened the door, gesturing for them to enter.

They walked inside a large room where they were greeted by another Anbu, this one wearing a hooded cloak and a fox mask, and medic. The masked ninja nodded and stepped back from the medical bed that he'd been guarding. The others watched as Sakura set down her gear, grabbed her medical kit and approached the bedside.

The pink-haired kunoichi looked down at the occupant. Konan's mouth and nose were covered by a breathing mask. Her torso was wrapped up in fresh bandages and she was linked up to a blood transfusion unit and siphon setup. Just as she started to move her hand towards the woman, Konan suddenly open her eyes and reached up to grab her wrist.

"Konan-sama, please don't worry." Sakura began. "I'm here to help you... I'm a friend and teammate of Naruto Uzumaki." She explained to her.

Konan let go of her sank back down onto the bed. Sakura turned to the medic. "I heard that she was injured pretty severely... please tell me everything you can about her injuries."

"There's considerable internal damage..." He began in a grave tone. "Her left lung was punctured, and there's damage to the heart as well... She's bleeding internally. Additionally, there are also broken ribs putting pressure on her lungs." He explained. "We've got her in a semi-stable condition for the moment and we're draining the blood and replacing it with transfusion..."

The medic then paused for a moment. "Though, I'm afraid that's all we can really do for her... We're simply not really equipped to handle such serious injuries."

Sakura nodded. "Right, I'd better get started then..."

Konan reached up and pulled her breathing mask down. "When I die... Naruto will then be last of Jiraiya's students... he'll be the only one to... carry on what he taught us."

"You're not going to die, I promise!" Sakura exclaimed.

Konan took a raspy breath and looked at her. "Perhaps... Just... just in case I... don't make it..." She paused to take another breath. "...There's something I want you to... tell Naruto. He... he deserves to know the truth..." Her eyes watering as she spoke.

Sakura leaned in closer to better hear the female paper-user. "Konan-sama, what do you mean by 'the truth'? What are you talking about?"

Konan reached up and put her hand on the pink-haired medical ninja's shoulder and pulled her further down towards her. "It's about... Naruto... About who he... really is."

Yamato turned to Sai. "Go and scope out the area, see if you can find anything- vulnerable spots in the security parameter, details about what happened, things like that." The dark-haired teen gave him a simple nod before he left the room.

The Captain then turned to Neji and Kiba. "You two, come with me... I suspect that Sakura is gonna need plenty of space while she works." He explained to the two of them. "The Anbu can keep an on things here while the three of us have a little look-around."

With that, the three of them left the room...

**...o.o.o...**

Hinata smiled as she watched Naruto kneel down at the bank of the river. The energetic shinobi leaned down and dunked his head into the water. He snapped back up, sending droplet flying. She observed that the water had slicked his blond hair back.

She approached him and handed him a towel. Naruto smiled as he accepted it, quickly setting about drying himself off. He rubbed his hair till it started to resemble his usual spiky look. He folded the towel and set placed it on the ground near his things. Hinata blushed slightly as she looked at him- he was shirtless, so the subtle muscle definition in his youthful body was in plain view for her.

She averted her gaze and ended up spotting his sword resting in the grass. Hinata stepped past him and knelt down to retrieve it. She stood back up with the sword in hand and and looked at it, narrowing her pale eyes a little she examined the shiny black wooden scabbard intently. The surface was smooth to the touch and had dark yellow lace bound around it near the top.

Hinata smiled to herself as she looked at it- there were gold 'Leaf' crests evenly spaced along the sheath on either side. "This is really amazing..." She began as she looked at it. "You're able to channel your Chakra into the sword blade, which then allows to unleash a wind-infused attack."

"What can I say... It's_ A Kind of Magic."_ He replied, giving her a disarming smile as he finished with the towel and put his shirt back on. "Actually, I was sort of inspired Captain Asuma..." He continued, his tone becoming more subdued as she handed the sword back to him. Naruto then drew the sword from the sheath and continued. "He was a Wind-User like me..."

He held up the sword so she could see it. "He had these special knives that were made from the same Chakra-conducting metal that this sword's blade is made from." He explained as he re-sheathed the weapon. "By adding a change in form to my Chakra, I was able to create the Rasengan… When I add a change in Nature _and_ Form, I can create the Rasenshurikan." He explained to her. "And this sword will allow me to perform a similar type of attack, but with a physical form to go with it."

"This all sounds so incredible…" Hinata began with a smile. "But why are you suddenly spending so much time on new jutsu?" She asked him. "It's almost like you're expecting something…"

Naruto nodded in response to her statement. "Yes, you're right… I am." He replied as he slipped his jacket on. "I can't hope to stop Sasuke's Fire attacks, but my Wind can utterly destroy his Lighting." He explained in a somber tone as he zipped up his jacket. "I have to face facts… The next time I meet Sasuke, it will probably be on the field of battle."

"Back when I encountered Itachi, he asked me if I could chose the wellbeing of the people of the village over my personal beliefs- to do whatever it took to protect Konoha, even if that meant killing Sasuke." He paused for a moment to look up at the sky.

"You know, the way of the Senzu is one of compassion. I want to bring peace to this world, but even I realize that some people can't be saved..."

"Naruto, what are you saying?" Hinata asked.

"Real peace is within my grasp, but it won't come without a price..." Naruto began, exhaling as he glanced downward. "It's not a matter of power, it about whether or not I have the strength of will to see this conflict through to the end." He looked back up at her. "You see, in the end, the only way that I can bring about peace... is by killing Madara and Sasuke."

Hinata chewed her lip and looked away for a moment. "I'm sorry that you're carrying such a heavy burden with you..." She began in an uneasy voice. "I wish there was something I could do or say to help you feel better." She added.

Naruto walked up to her and reached out to cup her cheek gently with his hand, looking at her with a serious expression. "Hinata... Do you love me?"

"O-of course I l-love you, Naruto..." She replied adamantly, even as a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she continued. "More than anything, I've loved you from the very start!"

His expression softened and he smiled. "Just to know that someone like you loves me is more than enough to keep me going." Naruto replied as he leaned in towards her. "I love you, Hinata." He said softly as he kissed her.

**...o.o.o...**

Sai silently turned to look as Yamato suddenly appeared beside him, atop the roof of the building he'd been standing on. "Sir?"

"Did you find anything?" The captain asked.

Sai shook his head. "There are no signs that anyone forced their way in." He replied. "Though, I did not expect to find any trace of Madara, given his level of skill and experience."

Yamato crossed his arms exhaled. "Don't worry, I didn't believe that we've find anything either... I just had to be certain." He replied. "Oh, I thought you might want to know that Sakura is still busy working on Konan- it's going to still be a while, but Sakura is optimistic about her chances."

Sai nodded simply in response. "I'm afraid that there are things about human behavior that I still find particularly difficult to understand." He began. "I have attempted to understand Naruto, but much of his actions still confuse me... If he is an individual of such inscrutable morals, then how can he still feel such concern for Konan when he knows about her past?"

Yamato scratched his head. "That's a tough question..." He began. "I'm not sure if I'm cut out to explain these sort of things, but... I think the reason he cares so much is because he's experienced so much pain and loss first-hand." He explained. "It's that experience that allows him to empathize with the pain and suffering of other, regardless of who they are what they may have done."

The Captain continued. "Our ninja training might sometimes lead us to think that sentiment is a weakness, but it can make people stronger at times... After all, people fight the strongest when they're protecting something or someone important to them."

"Then it is these feelings that help Naruto be stronger, because he is fighting to protect the people that he cares about?" Yamato nodded as he continued. "As a member of Root, we were taught that that what our actions were justified because we were protecting Konoha... And yet, since I became part of your cell, I have seen things that caused me to question much of what I was taught."

Sai's expression became almost earnest as he looked at Yamato. "Tell me sir, if those teachings were wrong, then would that make me a bad person?"

"Sai, I'm no saint... As Black-Ops, we've done things in the line of duty that many would consider inexcusable and unjustified." Yamato replied somberly. "But as for your question... No, you're a not a bad person. You were a Shinobi of Konoha, doing your duty." He offered. "And despite your Root training, you are still a person... The fact that you're questioning your actions proves that you're human because you have a conscience."

"You're part of our team now, you have the chance to fight for something more than just simple duty." Yamoto added. "You're not here now simply because your part of my cell, you're here because Kakashi and I believe that you are someone that we can trust... You are someone who would keep Sakura safe- not out obligation as her teammate, but out of loyalty as her friend."

"Thank you Captain, for... your faith in me." Sai replied with some effort. "You have been very helpful to me in understanding human nature. But there is one more thing I am curious about..." He paused for a moment. "What do you believe, Captain?"

The former Black-Ops was quiet for a moment as he thought. "What do I believe..." He mused out loud, before giving the teen a smile. "I believe in Naruto, and I believe in you and Sakura as well." Yamato added with a note of pride in his voice. "And I can say this because I _believe_ in Konoha and what it stands for." He finished.

**...o.o.o...**

Sakura emerged from the operating room, pulling her blood-stained gloves off as she spotted Kiba approaching her. The pink-haired medical ninja tossed the gloves into a nearby bin and reached up to pull her mask down off her face.

"The others will be here in a minute..." Kiba began, pausing to look at the state of her attire- noting the blood stains on the white surgical jacket she had on. "So, um, how is she doing now?"

Sakura exhaled as she removed the headband that held her hair back. "Well... it was touch-and-go for a while, but she's going to live." She replied, giving him a weary smile.

"Wow, you do look worn out..." Kiba observed with a small smile. "Just what sort of stuff did you have to do while you were back there?"

"Konan was in bad in pretty bad shape when we arrived... As you can probably guess by just looking at my current state." She began. "I had to do surgery on her as well as using my medical jutsu." Sakura added in a tired voice as Yamato, Sai, and Neji arrived.

She then continued. "I mended her broken ribs to get rid of the pressure and then I re-inflated and repaired the damaged lung so that she can breath properly..." She explained to the four of them in a shockingly matter-of-fact tone. "After that, I spent a good deal of time and Chakra repairing the damage to her heart." Sakura added, taking a deep breath.

"Wow Sakura, that's really incredible..." Yamato began. "You're being so humble about it, but you just spent the afternoon performing extensive emergency surgery on the Amekage."

Sakura shook her head and smiled at the remark. "I am the student of Tsunade-sama, she's the best and she taught me well." She replied. "Konan-sama really is an amazing woman... Not many people would have lived through what was done to her." She added in a serious voice. "I used my jutsu to seal up the surgical incision I made so there won't be any scaring."

The Captain (along with the others) watched her as she closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose and massaged her temples. "I'm guessing you must be pretty tired from all that, Sakura?" He asked her while Kiba exchanged a glance with Sai and Neji.

"I'm exhausted and drained..." She fired back. "I feel like I've been running a 10k marathon or fighting nonstop for hours..." She replied in a slightly flippant voice. "So now, if you four will excuse me, I'm going to find a table to crawl under and get some sleep."

**...o.o.o...**

Naruto arrived at the front of the archives in the central records building in Konoha. He looked around the area, eventually spotting a sandy-haired young woman in a long white coat.

Shiho turned around just as he approached her and smiled. "Oh Naruto, what a surprise to see you here of all place..." She began as she set her documents down. "What brings you here? Is there anything that I can help you with?" The bespectacled girl asked.

"Actually, there is something..." He began, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm looking for information on _something_ and I was wondering if maybe you could help me to find it."

The young cryptographer beamed at the question. "Sure, we have extensive records on practically everything." She replied. "Just let me know what it is that you're looking for I'm sure that we can find what you need." Shiho offered cheerfully.

"I want to know about the Sharingan." He replied, slightly surprising Shiho. "Anything you have on how it works, how it effects people, everything." Naruto explained. "I want to understand it better to see if there's a way of resisting it."

"We do have a lot of information about the Sharingan... Because of the Uchiha." Shiho began in a hesitant tone. "But... as far as I know, there's no recorded information on resisting it." She continued as she motioned for Naruto to follow her.

Once Shiho brought him to a specific area of the archives. Naruto retrieved several texts from the large shelves, everything he could find with any information about the Sharingan.

Naruto turned back to Shiho, holding the numerous texts in his arms. "You probably think I'm crazy to be doing this... And to be honest, I probably am." He remarked with a smile. "But I have to do this- I can't face an enemy who can destroy me just be looking at me."

She shook her head. "Don't worry, you're not crazy..." Shiho replied with a smile. "You're Naruto, if anyone can work miracles, it's you."

**(- End of Part 4 -)**

* * *

The first version of this chapter had a few more scenes that took place after (what would become) the closing scene of this chapter. But it was rapidly getting way too long as it is, so I decided to end it here and move the remaining scenes into the next chapter.

There were a lot of callbacks in this chapter, plus a few references here and there. I'll let you guys know exactly what they are later on. Right now, I think it'll be fun for you guys to look out for them. And there may even be some in the next chapter... Anyway, I liked writing for Sai in this chapter, and enjoyed the scene between him and Yamato. I rewrote some of it a few times to make sure that it didn't come off as being too preachy.

Sai really is a blank slate, and he's proven interesting to write- for both humor and drama. His lack of human experienced allows me to explore human nature in a way I normally wouldn't be able to with the other characters. I was also happy to give Sakura more to do in this chapter- it's a chance to show her strength and compassion. And, of course, it was nice to finally have Kiba show up and say something in one of my stories.

I'm going to try and have the next chapter of "Between The Lines" posted before I continue with this. Anyway, please let me know what you guys though of this- your feedback and reviews are always extremely helpful and encouraging to me.

_-Bojack727_


	5. Chapter 5: The Gathering

This chapter is partly the result from the previous one ending up being too long. As a result, the last few scenes ended up carrying over into this one. I like to end each chapter on a high note. It's important, in an ongoing storyline, that the chapters builds up to a suitable high-note and leave you wanting more.

As I was writing this, the story quickly grew into something more epic that I originally intended. I was dissatisfied with the the way parts of the storyline are moving along in the manga... Such as placing Naruto in a largely comedic side story while the rest of the world is going to war. I respect Naruto as a character, so I treat him like the hero that is really is. And as blasphemous as this may sound, Kishimoto really should do the same.

This is still a NaruHina story, so I want to keep some of this story focused on Naruto and Hinata's developing relationship. So it's a matter of finding a balance between the humorous and romantic elements and the serious dramatic elements. I'd like to say thanks to Rose Tiger, BigBootyBaby, Adngo714, draco122, and MrsDeidara.

* * *

**THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY**

**Part V:**  
**"**_**The Gathering"**_

When Hinata arrived, she found a rather surprising site- Naruto dutifully studying while surrounded by stacks of books and files, all of them relating to the Sharingan in some way.

The blond Shinobi suddenly looked up from one of the texts to see Hinata. He observed that the pale-eyed kunoichi was dressed in her black capri pants and had her had her jacket back on. Naruto set the file down and smiled at her. "Hinata... what's up?"

"I, uh, just wanted to see how you were doing..." The raven-haired girl replied. "I was a little worried after the last time we talked, so I wanted to check on you..." She then paused for a moment. "Oh, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting you."

He shook his head. "Not at all, I'm always happy to see you." Naruto replied, getting to his feet to approach her. "And Besides, I could do with a little break from all this anyway." He added, leaning in to give her a quick kiss- and make her blush in the process.

After making sure that the texts he'd checked out would remain set aside for him, Naruto was quick to head out of the archives- hand in hand with Hinata. "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty hungry at the moment..." He began with a smile. "Why don't we go have some lunch?" He asked her as they made their way down the steps.

"Hinata, I'd like to ask you about something..." He began as thy walked. "I'm wondering about this... What does your dad think about me?"

The raven-haired girl looked at him in confusion. "I... I'm not sure... Why do you ask?"

He gave a her a foxy smile as they walked. "Well, it's like I said, you're very important to me, and you're a very important part of my life..." He explained, still smiling. "I've been thinking about our future together, and it's important that your dad likes me."

Hinata staggered to a sudden halt, the two of them still holding hands. "W-wait, Naruto, y-you don't actually mean...?" She tried to ask.

Naruto simply smiled at her and nodded. "Of course I do," He replied. "I love you, Hinata, and I want to spend my life with you- so of course I'd be thinking about _that."_ The girl's eyes began to water and she threw her arms tightly around him as she held onto him.

Despite the fact that a few people were looking at the two of them, Naruto only smiled to himself and put his arms around her to return the embrace.

**...o.o.o...**

Sakura had been silent for much of the journey back to Konoha. The pink-haired medic quietly thought to herself as as they neared the large gates to the village...

_Konan sighed to herself as she lay in the bed recovering. Sakura was sitting at her side, holding her hand in hers and listening intently as she spoke._

_"You're a strong girl... just like a good Kunoichi should be." Konan remarked. "When I was your age, my teammates- Yahiko and Nagato- they were everything to me... I realize now that loved them both, it was hard not to... I was young and the two of them were such amazing men."_

_She paused and Sakura couldn't help but smile. "It really is a lot of work when you're a Kunoichi..." Konan remarked with a faint smile. "You have to take good care of the men on your team- you have to make sure that they're always in one piece."_

_Sakura smiled and nodded down at her. "Yeah, they can be pretty reckless sometimes... It's definitely a full-time job." She replied as she held onto her hand. "Naruto's always a handful, but he'll be really glad to know that you're alright..."_

_Konan became quite again. "Naruto has all the traits of a truly great Shinobi... He has such great powers, and yet they are tempered by his compassion." She commented. "But if he isn't careful, he could stray from the path... and become a monster, just like Nagato."_

_Sakura shook her head. "Don't worry Konan-sama." She replied with a smile. "It's like you told me, he will never fall into darkness, because he IS light." The medic gently explained. "And besides that, I'm his teammate... and I won't let him."_

_"You really are a strong girl, Sakura, I can see that you're going to grow up to be a truly great Kunoichi, just like your teacher..." Konan replied in a calm voice. "But soon, you'll have to make a hard choice..." She paused. "The Uchiha are the enemy now, they're the darkness, and a man like Madara cannot be allowed to win."_

_Konan continued in a subdued tone. "I know the nature of the man you're fighting, he is... the embodiment of darkness." She added in a bleak voice. "The world would just whither away under the rule of someone like him..."_

_Sakura nodded as she held her hand. "Yes, I understand..."_

Sakura gradually came back to reality as her group arrived at the large gateway. She thought about what Konan has said to her. The pink-haired medic realized that in the end, she'd likely be forced to burn her bridges. Still, if she couldn't save their former teammate, she still had the power to help the people who were still part of her cell.

Sakura stopped suddenly and gazed upwards at the giant arch (over the entrance to the village), before she passed under it. She wasn't really listening fully, but she could hear Yamato talking with the others nearby. Kiba was riding atop Akumaru and saying something about how he was glad to be back. Sai and Neji also said something, but she wasn't sure what exactly they were talking about...

**...o.o.o...**

Naruto arrived at the office of the Hokage. He stepped inside and Kakashi looked up, motioning for him to come in. "Kakashi-sensei, you sent for me, is there anything wrong?" He asked his former captain and he glanced around.

He shook his head as he stood up. "No, I just wanted to talk with you." He replied. "I heard that you've been spending a lot of time down in the archives, and that you've been pouring over all the information that you could find on the Sharingan." He explained casually. "I don't suppose you could explain to me why you're now so interested in high-level ocular genjutsu."

"It's not the performance of it that I'm interested in..." Naruto began. "I want to better understand how it works, so that I can resist it." He continued, as Kakashi's eye became wide. "When the time comes, I'm going to have to be able to stand on a level playing field with the Uchiha- and that means that I have to be able to withstand the powers of the Mangekyo."

"What?" Kakashi exclaimed as he bolted out of his chair. "You of all people should know that there's no way of resisting the effects of the Mangekyo!" He exclaimed. "With my Sharingan, I was able to achieve a Mangekyo state... But I still almost died when I was confronted by the Tsukiyomi!" He explained in a frantic tone. "Only someone with Uchiha blood can look into the Mangekyo and have any chance of surviving!"

Kakashi continued in a frustrated tone. "And aside from all that, this isn't a simple vendetta between you and Madara... He's declared war on the entire land!" He explained. "For the first time in history, every nations is united against a common enemy... We're talking about hundreds of thousands of Shinobi from the countless villages throughout the Five Great Territories!"

"And you think that I don't know all that?" Naruto countered. "Gaara of Sand isn't just the Kazekage, he's also my friend, just as Konan is my fellow pupil..." He continued. "And I also realize that the choices that you and the other Kage make will impact countless lives." He added. "But please don't mistake my intentions as simple ego... Because while Madara may want to rule the world, he also wants to see me dead as well!"

"You and I know that someone _will_ come for me, and it will be an Uchiha...Because Sasuke wants to kill me and Madara is after the Tailed-Beast inside me." Naruto continued. "And I refuse to just sit back and do nothing, not while there is someone out there who can kill me with his eyes!" The young blond explained. "You said that only someone with Uchiha blood could withstand the Sharingan... Well, I have that blood in me because both Senju and Uchiha carry the blood of the Great Sage!"

Kakashi sat back down in his chair, shaking his head as he looked at him. "You realize that you're basing a hell of a lot on an assumption, don't you?" He asked. "You and I know that optimism isn't always enough, because we've both lost people who were important to us." He explained to him in a grave tone. "Do you really believe that you have a chance against someone like Madara?"

"You're right, my experience pales before his. But in this matter, I have no other choice..." Naruto explained as he took a deep breath. "I _am_ of the Senju Clan, and I _am_ the only who can stop the Uchiha once and for all." He Continued. "Madara is responsible for the deaths of my father and mother, as well as countless others, and he's twisted Sasuke into a monster... who I will have to kill some day."

He paused for a moment and looked directly at Kakashi. "It's for those reason that I can never forgive him, and I cannot allow him to live."

The older ninja shook his head. "Naruto, the path you're talking about- the path of revenge- is a dark and bloody one." Kakashi explained in a somber tone. "You can't just come back from that sort of thing... If you go through with this, it _will_ change you."

Naruto shook his head in response. "This isn't revenge, what I'm talking about is justice..." He replied in a serious tone. "Madara must die for all the pain and suffering and death he's caused." The blond ninja explained to him. "Some day, the time will come when everyone will have to held accountable for the parts they played in making all this possible."

Kakashi looked at him for a moment. "Just what are you getting at?"

"I'm saying that the Uchiha might not have started plotting to revolt if our leaders hadn't driven them into a corner and treated them as traitors because of the actions of one man." Naruto replied bluntly. "When this war is over, I'm going to expose the truth about Itachi Uchiha so that the people will know what sort of person he really was... That he was good man who was forced to do something terrible to maintain the stability of the village."

Kakashi looked down and took a long breath. "And what about me, what am I supposed to do in all this? Do I just sit back and allow you to risk your future and your life on a belief?" He asked him in a frustrated voice. "You can't become the Hokage if you're killed!"

"Jiraiya wanted to change the world, and when he died, I inherited that desire." Naruto replied in a serious voice. "But more than just that, I've also inherited my master's _Will of Fire_. And nothing can change that..." He explained to him. "When the time comes, I will look into the eyes of our enemies and I will destroy them!"

Kakashi looked at him for a moment. "Perhaps you're right... Perhaps it really is a matter of faith, Naruto... I'd like to believe that, to believe in you." He remarked as he leaned back. "Keep up that sort of attitude and you might just really become the Hokage one day."

Naruto smiled at this and put his hands in his pockets. "Well, what can I say sir, you and Lord Jiraiya taught me well." He replied, beginning to relax. "You helped me to see the importance of doing what's right instead of just doing what you're told."

The masked shinobi looked at him for a moment. "You know, Naruto, just now I was just thinking that you really do look a lot like your father- my old sensei, the _'Yellow Flash'_ of Konoha."

"Really sir., you mean that... You really think that I'm like my dad?" Naruto asked his former teacher in amazement in his words. "Could you... tell me what was he like?" He asked.

Kakashi stood up once more. "Come on, let's talk for a while, I tell you about him." He offered, gesturing towards the balcony.

**...o.o.o...**

Kakashi and Naruto leaned against the balcony rails, under the shadow of the five Hokage monuments on the mountainside. "The Yellow Flash was calm and cool-headed in a crisis, and a natural leader- he really was the ideal teacher in many ways."

"To hear you talk about him, he sounds... incredible." Naruto remarked.

Kakashi nodded, smiling to himself under his mask. "Minato Namikaze was my captain, my teacher, and my mentor... But most of all, he was my friend." He replied. "And his death was a terrible loss for for the entire village... Still, I know that he gave his life defending what he loved."

He looked up at the image of the Fourth Lord on the mountainside. "It's uncanny how much you look like him- you have the same hair and eyes." Kakashi explained as he turned to Naruto. "But I think you have your mothers will... and her tastes as well." He remarked.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"Complementary personalities..." Kakashi replied. "Your parents couldn't have been more different... And yet in spite of that, they found each other." He explained to him. "In fact, it's not all that dissimilar to what you've been up to."

Naruto blushed faintly at the implication. "I'd almost be surprised that a rowdy kid like you fell for a gentle, soft-spoken girl like Hinata Hyuuga..." He paused briefly. "But then again, your calm and introspective father ended up falling in love with a _rowdy_ young woman like your mother."

The young ninja smiled and nodded. "That's not the only reason..." He began. "She helped me to realize something, she reminded me that sometimes the struggle is just as important as what you're fighting for." Naruto paused for a moment. "When I faltered against Pain, she stood up for me and nearly died trying to protect me... So now I'm going to protect Hinata, and our future together."

Kakashi clapped his hand on Naruto's shoulder and nodded. The two then turned as they heard the sound of the door opening. Sakura quickly stepped inside the large office, a serious look on her face as she approached them. "Master Kakashi, I'm sorry to come here unannounced, but there's something important that I need to talk with Naruto about."

Naruto turned around fully and approached her. "Konan is okay, isn't she?"

The pink-haired girl nodded. "Yes, Konan-sama is okay, and she's going to make a full recovery." Sakura replied. "But there's something that she wanted you to know... And I promised her that I'd deliver her message to you, personally."

**...o.o.o...**

Naruto's head and shoulders slumped as if he'd just had the wind knocked out of him. He rested his hands on his knees and looked downwards. Sakura shook her head and leaned in closer towards him. She was sitting in a chair situated to the side of where he was situated.

Naruto shook his head and closed his eyes as he let his head rest in his hands as he sat. After a moment, he opened his eyes again, but didn't look over at her. "So, then Pain was... _Nagato_ was also member of the Uzumaki Clan...?" The young blond ninja mused to himself. "Then that means... means that I was fighting my own flesh and blood..."

The pink-haired medic nin placed her hand on his. "Naruto, I realize that what I've just told you is a lot to take in, but it wasn't Konan-san's intention to upset you with the information." Sakura continued to explain in a soft tone. "She wanted you to know the truth about who he was... that if you knew about the true link between the two of you, then you might be able to better understand him."

The medical ninja paused. "She's very much aware of what the two of them did to us, but she didn't want you to think of Nagato as just another nameless killer." Sakura explained to him. "Konan wanted you to know that he was person as well, someone who once had his own hopes and dreams for the future." She looked at him for a moment and frowned at his apparent lack of response. _"Naruto!"_

The teen looked up suddenly when she called out his name. "Naruto, I'm sure that Konan knows what you plan on doing... and she knows the dangers that come with the sort of path your walking." Sakura explained to him, her tone become stern as she spoke. "She's scared of what could happen to you, because she knows firsthand how war and revenge changes people... How it can turn a good person into a monster, just like it did to her friend."

"Konan-sama watched as her childhood friend was gradually transformed into a monster by his own pain and suffering." Sakura paused for a moment, before she continued. "...And she's right you know, you're my friend and I care about you- just like how Konan cared about Nagato." She medic-nin explained to him. "And neither of us want to see you end up like that."

Naruto remained silent for a moment as he looked at her. "Thank you, for telling me the truth... It's helped me to see what sort man Nagato Uzumaki was... And it's helped to see just how frail our hopes and dreams can be..." He paused for moment. "Konan and you are right... It's easy for a person to end up going down the wrong path."

The blond Shinobi continued. "I have faith in myself and what I'm fighting for, but I also have faith in you- as my teammate and as my friend." Naruto continued, smiling at her. "I know that over the last five and half years, I haven't been the easiest person to be around... But realized a long time ago that you're a strong and caring person, and you wouldn't let me end up going down the wrong path..."

He rose to his feet and smiled down at her. "And besides... I know, from experience, that you'd brain me before letting me do something stupid like that."

Sakura blushed, but quickly smiled up at him and got to her feet. The pink-haired Kunoichi moved in towards him, only to surprise the blond teen by hugging him (rather than hitting him). She then stepped back and looked at him with fond expression. "And you, you knucklehead... are certain to become a great Hokage one day!"

"Well of course, it is my dream after all!" Naruto replied, giving her big smile. "But you know, any good Hokage needs good advisers..." He began in a devious tone. "Wanna be one of my advisers?"

"Don't joke around about that!" Sakura replied with a smile.

"No, really, I'm being serious." Naruto replied. "Just think about it... If I became the Hokage, and you were my adviser, then we could make it so that every cell has a medic-nin on it." He explained to her in an exited tone. "We could finally make Granny Tsunade's plan a reality... and ensure that the people her and the rest of us have lost haven't died in vain!"

Sakura blushed again, but smiled at Naruto as she rubbed the back of her head. "Alright, when you put like that, count me in!" She replied. "I guess if you're gonna dream, then you might as dream big." The pink-haired teen added. "Just make sure that along the way you... _don't loose your head."_

At that moment, the door to the room they were using opened. The two of them turned around to see Hinata inter the room. The raven-haired Kunoichi looked at them with a nervous expression for a moment, before speaking. "Naruto... I've been looking for you, I was told that I could find you here"

Hinata then suddenly realized that Sakura was in the room with him. "Oh, I... I'm sorry." She began in a nervous tone. "I'm... I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" She asked.

Sakura simply smiled and shook her head, welcoming her. Naruto quickly took a step forward and smiled at the pale-eyed girl. "Hinata, I'm glad you're here, I-" He paused suddenly and clutched the sides of his his head. "Aghhh... My head, it..." His eyes snapped shut and he let out a gasp as she staggered forward. Sakura and Hinata instantly ran to his side.

Naruto staggered forward and fell onto his his knees. "Something's wrong, I... Gahhh!" He exclaimed as he toppled forward. He hit the floor with a loud thud amidst a sear of distant noises. He thought he heard Sakura shout something to Hinata in the confusion as his vision darkened.

Hinata rushed out of the room to get help while Sakura turned him over onto his back, but everything had already gone dark for Naruto and he couldn't hear anything as his friend called out to him- frantically shaking his calling his name...

_For Naruto, everything had gone dark..._

**(- End of Part 5 -)**

* * *

Not really a whole lot to say at this point... I hope you guys enjoyed reading this and will stick around for the next chapter, because things are going to really get moving in the next chapter. I promise that things should prove quite interesting...

I hope that you enjoyed reading this. Some of you may have picked up the hints that Naruto was dropping (when he was talking to Hinata earlier in the story), and just what it could mean. There's still a strong NaruHina thread running through this story. ...Oh, and I'll also explain the references that I was talking about in the next chapter, so that's something else for you guys to look forward to.

And as always, if you enjoyed this, then please feel free to leave me some reviews. Your feedback is always helpful in letting me know how I'm doing.

_-Bojack727_


	6. Chapter 6: The Eye of the Beholder

The bulk of this chapter existed in a script-form for a while. I wrote the whole 'conversation' segment a while back and basically built up a good chunk of the story around it happening. As a result, I had to come up with more scenes to flesh out the story. And that resulted in a lot of nice scenes where I was able to build upon the characters and their relationships.

* * *

**THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY**

**Part VI:  
_"In the Eye of the Beholder"_  
**

Naruto slowly awoke and looked at his surroundings. He had been laying face-down in what looked like a vast empty field. The ground felt grassy beneath, but looked vague and dark. The young blond ninja then looked upwards and gasped slightly at the sight of the cloudy blood-red sky above him.

He slowly got onto his feet and looked around... The color of everything around him looked dull and muted, as if there was no radiant light. The ground beneath him was flat and seemed to go on endlessly with nothing to give any sense of distance or scale. The more he looked around and the longer he spent standing there, the more on edge he became. Naruto felt a sudden gust of wind strike him. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to see a figure in the distance.

Naruto looked on in silence as the figure slowly drew towards him. The stranger was covered under a long cloak with the hood drawn to cover his head. The young ninja said nothing as the figure drew close towards him, stopping about twenty feet from him.

Gloved hands came up to pull the hood back, revealing a familiar masked face. Realization instantly dawned and Naruto glared angrily at him. "You... what are you doing here?"

**...o.o.o...**

Sakura was kneeling over Naruto's prone form. The young Shinobi was lying on the floor of the room, totally motionless (save for his breathing and other vital signs). Despite all her efforts so far, she couldn't bring him around.

The pink-haired medic looked over her shoulder as Hinata arrived inside the room, along with Kakashi and Captain Yamato. The three rushed over to her and knelt down to join her. "Sakura... Do you have any idea what happened to him?" The silver-haired ninja asked her.

Sakura looked at him for a moment, then up at to Hinata (and Yamato), before turning to look back down at Naruto. "I'm not sure... He's breathing, and all his vital functions are normal, but I can't bring him out of whatever he's fallen into." She explained. "As far as I can tell, it's not physical... It's more like he just suddenly fell into a deep trance."

Yamato shook his head. "I don't like the timing of this... With everything that's happened recently, there's got to be something more to this- something sinister is going on here."

Kakashi regarded his fellow former black-ops for a moment. "Perhaps so, but right now, we have to worry about figuring out what's happened to him..." He explained, glancing down at Naruto.

Sakura looked over at Hinata and observed her worried expression. "Somehow... We'll find out what's going on get Naruto out of this mess... You just have to have faith." She told the raven-haired girl.

After a moment, Hinata nodded in understanding. "You're right... Thank you, Sakura."

**...o.o.o...**

"You... what are you doing here?" Naruto exclaimed angrily. "What the hell is this place, and why have you brought me here?" The blond shinobi continued as he glared at the masked man. "...And the others, what have you done with the others?"

"So many questions... And even after everything that you've witnessed?" Madara asked him in a very casual tone. "Really, you disappoint me Naruto... I would have thought that even you would understand what is happening... As for your comrades, I haven't _done_ anything... Either _with_ them or _to_ them." He added, casting off his cloak- which vanished in the air!

"On the contrary, you are here because I wish to speak with you, and I would rather that we spoke alone and without interruption." He continued. "Now, Naruto... the two of us can at last speak _face-to-face_, so to speak."

Naruto gave him an icy stare. "Speak to you? ...I have nothing to say to you!"

Madara shook his head. "You will, given time..." He replied. "You see, at this very moment, you are my captive- trapped within the power of my domain, within my Tsukuyomi." He explained somewhat dramatically, gesturing towards his masked faced. "You are at the mercy of my Ocular Jutsu!"

Naruto shook his head and looked at him. "I'm not quite the fool you think I am, so you can spare me the 'Uchiha History Lecture'." He replied contemptuously. "I know your bloodline and I know what your genjutsu can do... I've seen the effects of the Sharingan firsthand, so if you're going to try and kill me, then just get on with it!"

Madara chuckled in response to the declaration. "Ha! Even now, while standing in the face of such an overwhelming power, you remain defiant!" He exclaimed. "Yes... Yes, I can see it now... You, you are truly the son of Minato Namikaze!" He continued excitedly. "Never the less, you are within my eyes now, my reality- and before me, you are as transparent as glass!"

He then paused for a moment, as if to collect himself. "But it is as I said before, I did bring you here to kill you. You are here because there are matters that I would speak to you about." He explained, taking on a slightly more diplomatic air as he continued. "And so, before you pass judgment on me, you should know the truth..."

Naruto looked at him incredulously. "The truth... You want to talk to me about _'the truth'?"_

Madara nodded. "There is much that you do not fully understand... You are far too young to understand the enormity of the events transpiring around you." He continued coolly. "And so, I have brought you here, so that I can enlighten you."

**...o.o.o...**

"How strange, I've never seen anything like this before..." Captain Yamato mused as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, before turning to Kakashi. "What about you, Kakashi, have you ever experienced anything like this before?"

He shook his head in response to the question. "No, I haven't seen anything like this before either." Kakashi replied with a sigh. "I'm afraid that whatever's happened to Naruto is beyond my experience." The silver-haired ninja explained. "But I suspect that this isn't natural..."

"Then... what can we do?" Yamato asked him. "If this really us some kind of attack, and not a natural ailment, then what can we do to help him?"

"The only thing we can do..." Kakashi replied, turning to face him. "I've sent for help from someone with the necessary skills and experience in these matters..." He explained. "If we are dealing with some sort of advanced technique, then we'll need the help."

Sakura then entered the room. "Master Kakashi," She began, prompting the two men to turn to her as she continued. "The person you requested, she's here now... to check on Naruto."

**...o.o.o...**

The young blond crossed his arms. "Enlighten me? To what?" Naruto began snidely. "Are you going to tell me more of your lies and half-truths?"

Madara smiled under his mask. "I've found that truth, like beauty, is often in the eye of the beholder." He began with a wave of his hand. "To me, you are a child- weened on the idealistic philosophies of peacetime." He continued. "In war, only strength can bring an end to conflict. And only the strong can bring order to a chaotic world such as ours." He paused. "True strength comes when one knows real conflict. It is the only universal truth- it transcends simple bonds of fellowship and links us together."

He paused, and Naruto watched in amazement as their surroundings transformed in a flash. They were now standing on the heads of the monuments on either side of the waterfall. Naruto was atop the 'head' of the First Hokage while Madara stood atop the likeness of his 'old self'.

Naruto looked down at the stern face of the Uchiha leader for a moment, then back up at the masked man standing atop the giant statue. "Well you didn't try to hide your face then... I wonder, just how much have you changed in all this time?"

"More than I would like, and more than you can possibly imagine." He replied casually as the crimson sky and dark waters between them moved. "Unlike you, I have known much war. It has been a bloody and inescapable part of my life." Madara continued as he leapt down onto the surface of the moving water and began walking across it. Naruto nodded to himself and jumped onto the water. The two of them stopped less than ten feet away from each other.

"I have existed since before the founding of Konoha and I have endured to this day... When I look at the flow of history- Past, present, even the future- it all becomes clear to me." Madara revealed to him in a cryptic tone. "I have seen the grand truth, the ultimate fate of humanity, _my_ fate... And so I have taken steps to ensure the realization of my destiny." He elaborated. "I have shaped the events of this world for almost a century!"

"You really are insane..." Naruto remarked darkly. "You think that conflict is the only constant in life, but you're wrong- it's only because of people like you that conflict exists. The more I've listen you, the more I've realized just twisted and warped you are... I'm not like you, I know that our lives are what we choose to make them." He explained defiantly. "So if you were really as strong as you keep saying, then you would have faced life head-on."

Madara nodded to him and tucked his hands into his dark cloak. "I expected that you might say something like that." He paused for a moment. "Tell me then, if you can... If I'm so mistaken in my views, then what do you believe? ...Tell me of 'your' truth."

**...o.o.o...**

Hinata watched as the two Jounins fell silent. The dark-haired girl remained by Naruto's fallen form and watched as someone entered the room...

Tsunade stepped inside the office, flanked by Shizune. Without saying anything, the two women ventured forward into the large room. The blond woman stopped and looked at Kakashi for a moment, then to Shizune, before looking back to the silver-haired man. "Sakura has alread informed of what happened to Naruto..." She began. "He's still here?"

Kakashi nodded and gestured to where he'd fallen. Tsunade spotted the unconscious Naruto, along with Hinata beside him. The blond woman walked over and knelt down beside them. She paused and looked at Hinata for a moment, she relaxed and smiled at her. "You must be Hinata Hyuuga?" She asked her, getting a nod from Hinata. "You care about him, don't you?"

The raven-haired kunoichi nodded, prompting Tsunade to smile. "I've seen Naruto accomplish great things over the years... So I can say with confidence that he's definitely a survivor." She explained as she inspected him. "Yes... there's definitely something wrong here."

Everyone watched her quietly as she continued. "Elivated pulse and respiration... The stress levels definitely indicate that something hostile at work." Tsunade explained in a serious tone as she continued her examination. "You were right to be suspicious, Kakashi, because everything here indicates that Naruto is being affected by some sort of high-level Jutsu."

"But if that is happening, then what can we do?" Sakura asked.

"Whatever is happening to Naruto... Is likely akin to some sort battle, except that the conflict is in internalized to the depths of his unconscious mind." Tsunade replied. "For now, all we can do for Naruto is to wait... And hope that he can survive this and see it through to the end."

**...o.o.o...**

"You want to know about what I believe in?" Naruto asked incredulously. "Alright then... I'll tell you about _my truth." _Naruto began, glaring at Madara.

"But it's not just my truth, it was my master's as well... And it's also the foundation upon which Konoha was built on." He explained to the masked man. "Beyond malice and hate and even war, there is such as peace- it's just a matter of having the courage to make it a reality."

"When I listen to you talk, I can tell that you're scared." Naruto continued. "You're scared of peace because it would take away the only way of life you've ever known." He explained to him. "But more than that, it's the change that comes with it that you're really scared of... And so you clung to your outdated views and convinced yourself that you alone were right, that your acts of treason and murder were justified because you were protecting you're people."

"I was defending my clan, I was trying to protect Uchiha from Senju." Madara replied.

"No! You were protecting your own interests!" Naruto fired back. "You saw which way the winds were blowing and you knew that the Uchiha had lost their taste for all that death and destruction. You held onto your beliefs because you alone were scared of the uncertainty of peace and the fact that you were loosing the one thing that you believed gave you a purpose, war!"

"And because of your fears, everyone paid the price- both the Senju and the Uchiha." Naruto continued to explain. "How many people have died for the sake you ego...? The First Lord, Jiraiya, my parents, your own brother? Your entire clan?" He exclaimed angrily. "You can hide your face under a mask and change your name, and you run from your past all you want... but in the end, you're still a coward whose only legacy is one of genocide!"

"And you really think I'm scared of _you?"_ Madara asked in low tone. "You're a child, what do you know about the world?" He asked. "Right now, the so-called nations are allies, but before that, they were trying to destroy one another!" He added. "You sound just like _him_, just like Hashirama... So sanctimonious and self-righteous!"

"So don't lecture me about _peace_ when the hands of every single ninja in this world are stained with the blood of the so-called innocent!" Madara paused for a moment. "Before you shed too many tears for the suffering of others, remember that no one is innocent in this world... And that includes your beloved Leaf- remember that your own people were part of the cause."

Naruto shook his head. "You just don't understand, Madara- Life isn't about the past, it's about looking to the future." He countered. "And that is where you have failed... You're a relic, Madara- nothing more than a throwback to a bygone way of life that ended decades ago." He explained confidently.

Naruto then a step towards him and looked directly at him. "You don't scare me because you will never extinguish my _Will of Fire!"_ He declared. "What I say now is _my truth! _As the son of the Forth Lord, as Disciple of Lord Jiraiya, and as the descendant of Senju... I will defeat you!"

Madara became silent again. "Yes, I see now... I realize that I gravely underestimated you." He replied, raising a hand to point towards him. "Naruto, you truly are the very embodiment of everything that Konoha and the Senju stands for... An incorruptible champion and defender of all that is good and decent in this world." He then let his hand fall to his side.

"Perhaps, if the people of Leaf were better men... if there had been more people like you and Sarutobi, then it might not have come to this." The masked man continued. "But we've seen the true face of Konoha, and it doesn't deserve someone like you."

Naruto tucked his hands into his jacket pocket. "Maybe so, maybe Leaf is rotten, but Konoha needs someone to protect it..." He began in a subdued tone. "...And unlike you, I can't condemn an entire society just because of the sins of only a few people."

Madara became silent once again. "A worthwhile view, but I still wonder if the strength of you actions could ever live up to such a claim when the time comes..." He replied calmly. "The next time we meet, I believe that it will be in battle... And I promise you, that at that time, I will hide nothing from you." He explained to him. "And we shall see _whose_ truth will prevail in the end."

Naruto looked at him for a moment and gave a small. "Yeah... I guess we will."

_With those words, Madara suddenly vanished. Naruto shielded his eyes as everything was rapidly engulfed in a blinding flash of light!_

**(- End of Chapter 6 -)**

* * *

I'm sorry that this took so long to get out... I've been really busy with a lot of things lately and I just sort of lost track of this chapter. I also wasn't sure about how to end it at first, but I think the closing scene that I settled on is a good one.

I just want to thank you all again for continuing to read this story and give me feedback. Your support is greatly appreciated, and it helps me to keep going. I'd like to say that I always enjoy reading your reviews. So please stick with me, as there is still a lot to cover in this story... Not the least of which, being more NaruHina content!

_-Bojack727_


	7. Chapter 7: The Nature of The Beast

I wasn't sure at first about where to take this story... And to be honest, I was having some issues with writer's block as well. But after having recently spent time catching up with the backlog of chapters in the Naruto manga, I suddenly felt inspired to continue.

For as hard as I've been on the comic in previous blurbs, I have to admit that I've been pretty impressed with the recent chapters. I'm really enjoying how the Shinobi War is playing out... Especially as Naruto has finally entered the fray- as a result of Madara's machinations. I'm eager to see what happens when he starts taking a more proactive role in the conflict (and the story as well).

I also want to say thank you to everyone who's taken the time to review this story. Throughout all this, your continued feedback has been a real help to me. So thank you all, once again.

* * *

**THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY**

**Part VII:  
"**_**The Nature of the Beast"**_

Naruto could feel his mind starting to clear, the shadows and darkness finally leaving his thoughts as he slowly came around. The blond shinobi suddenly opened his eyes, catching everyone around him by surprise as he sat bolt-upright.

His mind was still processing his situation as they started to gather around him. Hinata rushed ahead of them and threw her arms around him, holding onto him tightly. Naruto gasped slightly, smiling to himself as he return the girl's embrace. As he held onto the raven-haired kunoichi, he recognized the figures of Kakashi and Captain Yamato. Sakura was there as well, along with Sai.

But what really took him by surprise was seeing none other than Tsunade. Do to being away on missions, as well as the woman's recent exclusiveness, he hadn't seen her in months.

Both Sakura and Yamato had calm expressions, bordering on optimistic, while Sai was giving one of his usual enigmatic expressions. He wasn't totally sure about his former leader, as the mask always made it difficult to read his mood, but he seemed to be at ease. Naruto then looked back to Tsunade- her arms crossed as she silently met his gaze.

Tsunade gave him a nod, her full lips curving into a small smile. Naruto watched in silence as she approached him, stopping to get down on one kneed beside him. "Granny Tsunade...?" He began in a near whisper as she looked at him.

Tsunade then stopped and knelt down beside him. "So then... How are you feeling?" The curvy blond woman asked him with a smile.

He fell silent for a moment, reaching up to put his hand over where his heart was. He then glanced down at Hinata, flashing her a reassuring smile before he looked back up at her. "I feel..." He paused for a moment to exhale. "...I feel _alive."_ Naruto replied with a smile.

Tsunade smiled and nodded, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Well, that sounds about right..." The medical specialist began with a small smile. "I'll come by later, to see how you're doing... But for now, you seem alright to me." She finished, rising to her feet and making her way towards the door.

Naruto nodded and slowly got to him feet. He quickly turned to Hinata, who was still holding onto him, and smiled at her. The pale-eyed young woman blushed, suddenly aware of their close proximity to each other, and stepped back a little.

The blond ninja looked at the others in the room for a moment, then gave them a smile. Naruto looked down, brushing a hand through his hair, before turning back to them. "Well... I guess you guys must have a lot of questions...?"

**...o.o.o...**

"I saw him, I saw Madara Uchiha..." Naruto began in a solemn tone as Sakura busied herself with checking his pulse. "He was there, in my 'vision'... or whatever the hell it was." He continued, turning to look at Kakashi and Yamato.

"Did he give any sort of reason?" Kakashi asked calmly. "Anything that he said that might explain why he went to the trouble of doing this to you?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, he just said he wanted to talk with me..." The blond replied as Sakura started checking his respiration. "I don't know why, but it was almost as if he was trying to explain himself to me, to give some sort of reasoning for what he's done... As if he thought that we'd somehow be on the same wavelength once he'd explained his motivations to me."

Yamato let out a small sigh and nodded. "Who can ever guess the logic of a madman."

Naruto shook his head in response. "No, I don't think it's not that simple..." He replied, while Sakura finished checking his respiration. The pink-haired kunoichi stepped back and gave him an 'all-clear'. The blond then turned back to the two older ninjas. "He's managed to stay alive for over eighty years now... That's practically an eternity for a Shinobi."

"He's patient, he's spent years acquiring knowledge and power, and building an army." Naruto continued as he addressed the others. "But it's not just a matter of Jutsu... I'm sure that he genuinely believes that what he's doing is 'right'." The blond continued. "And he's powerful and clever enough to be able to endanger everyone and everything with his plans."

Kakashi nodded. "Yes... I'm afraid that you're right, we have no way of knowing the limits that an egomaniac like him would be willing to go to to see his plans to fruition." The silver-haired Jounin mused aloud. "When he attacked the Kage Summit, he made his plans clear... And the fact that the Shinobi Nations are now on the verge of going to war with him only proves just how much of threat he's become to all of us."

"This may seem like a foulish question..." Sai began, suddenly speaking up. "But why someone with Madara Uchiha's experience and intellect knowingly commit acts that would only serve to unite his enemies under a single banner against him?" He asked the others. "Surely, he must have known that uniting them would only make things more difficult?"

Kakashi shook his head at the question. "People like him don't think in those terms... Someone like Madara is rarely objective when it comes to these matters." The masked ninja replied. "Perhaps he believes that by doing this, he'll be able to destroy all his opposition in one massive campaign..."

"Whatever his reasoning might be, I'm certain that we're going to be in for a long, bloody war..." Yamato remarked, shaking his head. "I don't even want to consider what the cost of this conflict will be in terms of loss of lives..."

"From what I've seen, he doesn't seem to place much value on human life... That man used and sacrificed his own men like little more than pawns in a game." Yamato paused. " I'm almost afraid to consider going against a man like him on the battlefield, knowing the lengths he's willing to go to to achieve his ultimate goal."

"But it's not just a matter of ambition." Kakashi pointed out. "It's just like Naruto said- when it comes to that man, it's a matter of beliefs... and a person's beliefs can be more dangerous than any weapon on jutsu in the world." The silver-haired shinobi reasoned. "Madara is ready and willing to go to war with the entire world for what he believes."

Naruto got to his feet. "I know the extent of that man's powers... But regardless, you can't expect for me to just idly sit back as he tries to take over the world." He explained. "I know that he's after me- he wants the monster inside me... But even so, I'm not going to spend my life running from him." The blond ninja explained as he worked the kinks out of his back. "I intend to see this conflict through to the end, so that nothing like this can ever happen again."

Kakashi regarded him for a moment. "Naruto... A life lived for revenge is no sort of life."

"Maybe so, but neither is a life lived in fear!" Naruto snapped. "I know I'm young, and I know that I still have a lot to learn about how the world works..." He paused. "But I've known plenty of loss in my short life, and it seems to me that I owe it to the next generation to make sure that this problem isn't passed down to them." He explained. "Madara Uchiha's reign of terror has to end!"

The masked ninja looked at him for a moment. "The way you talk about it, you make it all sound so simple... But you know that it isn't." Kakashi countered. "Surely you realize what's at stake? We're not just talking about a simple vendetta- we're talking about a full-scale war."

"Master Kakashi," Naruto began, addressing his former teacher. "I understand all of that, and I realize that this is bigger than any one single person..." He continued. "But you have realize something- the 'Yellow Flash' may have been your mentor, but he was _my_ father... And his life was taken by Madara, just as he took the life of my mother, Kushina Uzumaki."

The young ninja continued calmly. "It was under the orders of that man that my mentor and godfather, Lord Jiraiya, was killed..." He told him in an even tone. "And now just recently, Madara nearly killed Konan-san and defiled Nagato's remains." Naruto paused. "I'm not naïve and I know that ninjas have been killing one another since forever, but that man has done and taken far too much from me not to make all this personal."

Kakashi glanced to Yamato, then back to the blond teen "Tell me something then, what exactly do you plan on doing?" He asked him pointedly. "I've long since realized that you're not the sort of person who can be talked out of doing something once you've set your mind to it... But I guess I'll never be able to fully understand your level of confidence in the face of near certain death."

Naruto shook his head. "The way I see it, the only choice that I have is to believe in myself and to believe in what I'm trying to accomplish." He replied. "But even so, knowing the odds and what I'm up against, I'll never back down..." The blond continued. "I refuse to live in any sort of world where a man like Madara Uchiha is able to go on living."

"Too many generations have suffered already... And even if we do win this war, I have no intention of allowing him to quietly slip away just so that he can start making plans once again." Naruto explained in a resolute voice. "I will be the Hokage some day... But I also want to have a family." He remarked, turning to give Hinata a small smile. "And most of all, I want to know that they **won't** have to live with the fear of that man ever coming back."

Naruto then fell silent for a moment, and Sakura exchanged a glance with Hinata, who was blushing darkly at the young man's remark. "So you see, it's not about revenge... It's about justice, and about doing what's right."

Naruto then turned to Sakura. "I will always cherish the time that we spent as members of Team 7, but we're not kids any more... And the person that we knew as Sasuke is gone." He explained to her in a grim voice. "You know that I thought of Sasuke as like brother, but when the time comes... I will do whatever it takes to protect Konoha."

Sakura was taken back by the grim implication of the declaration, looking downward slightly as she gave him a quiet nod. "Yes... I, I understand..." She replied in a serious tone. "Deep down, part of me always knew that it might come down to something like this in the end." The pink-haired medic reasoned, looking back up at him. "Still, you are right, Naruto... He's no longer the person we knew... So if that's the only way to save him from the monster he's become, than so be it."

Naruto nodded in understanding, then turned to Sai. "You've been part of our team for a while now, and over the course of this year, I've come to trust you." He explained. "And knowing your past, I don't expect you to fully understand my motives... I just want to be able to know that when the time comes, I can count on your support as a member of Team 7."

Sai nodded his head. "Yes, of course." He replied simply. "And while I don't yet fully understand your motives, I've learned from experience that in times of hardship and difficulty, that the best thing one can do is to simply _believe_ in you." He added, giving a little smirk as he finished.

"Naruto..." Sakura began nervously. "You and I, we've been friends and teammates for over five years now... And over the course of that time, we've seen a lot- including Madara Uchiha." She commented in a low, serious tone. "Like you, I've seen enough to have some idea of what he's capable of... Tell me, how could someone ever be able to contend with, let alone to kill, a man like him?"

He regarded his long-time friend for and fellow cell-member. "Well, that's the easy part..." He replied, giving her one of his trademark smiles. "...With hope, skill, and guts!"

**...o.o.o...**

Naruto quitely looked out the window, up at the clear blue sky above, from an empty room within the Hokage's Tower. He heard the door open behind him, but didn't look away from the sky. The blond shinobi soon felt a familiar warm body pressing again him as a pair of delicate hands came around to snake across his chest. He smiled to himself as Hitana nuzzled against the crux of his neck.

He slowly started to turn around, not breaking her hold on him, and met her pale near-white lavender eyes with his bright blue ones. Naruto smiled at her as he slipped his arms around her and pulled her against him, her chest against his as he looked her in the eyes. He ran his hand up through the long strands of the girl's raven-hair, till he cupped her jaw. Without saying a word, he leaned in and gently brushed his lips against hers as he kissed her.

After a moment, he pulled back from the blushing girl and smiled at her again. He then noticed the pensive look in her eyes. "You look like you have something on your mind..."

She nodded intently. "Naruto... T-the thing you mentioned to me, about _us_- earlier today and then again back in the Hokage's office..." She began hesitantly. "Y-you _really_ were being serious, weren't you?"

Naruto smiled at her and nodded. "You know me- when it comes to making a promise, I never back down or go back on my word." He replied. "Hinata... over these last several months, I've realized that I can't see myself spending my life with anyone other than you." He told her as he leaned in to kiss her on the lips. Hinata then threw her arms around him and started crying softly into his shoulder as he put his arms around her in a soothing embrace. He knew this shy sweet girl well enough by now to realize that she wasn't upset, and that these were tears of happiness.

Eventually, as Hinata began to slowly calm down, he pulled back from her enough to be able to look the Hyuuga girl in the eyes. "I hope that I didn't sound to arrogant back there..." He began with a smile as he continued to hold the raven-haired girl in his arms. "You know, some people might say that there's no such as good or evil- that the truth is that everything is just shades of gray." He continued as she quietly listened to him. "But I know that there really is such a thing as evil in this world, I know because I've seen it..."

Wordlessly, Naruto reached down and captured her hands in his. He gave them a little squeeze as he looked at her with a determined expression. "I realize that for all of my big-talk, this all must still seem pretty scary to you right now..." He began calmly. "But no matter what happens, I'll never let an evil person like him win." The blond teen declared. "People like Madara, who destroy the lives and happiness of other..."

Naruto paused, as if to collect himself, bringing up her hands to kiss them. "Naruto...?" Hinata mouthed softly as she looked at him.

"Those people, they'll never have any power over me... And I'll tell you why." The blond Shinobi continued as he looked up into her pale lavender eyes. "...Because I fear no evil."

**(- End of Chapter 7 -)**

* * *

I had intended to wrap things up in this chapter, but it just kept getting longer and longer. So, it seems there's going to be at least one more chapter to this storyline...

And as some of you may have gathered from the (not always so subtle) hints I've been dropping, I still have a lot more story to tell after this current story arc wraps up. I still want to do a Sakura/Lee fanfic at some point, and I'm even tossing around the idea of one for Kiba... Hell, if you read between the lines, you might have noticed something happening with Ino. Aside from that, I plan on doing a third NaruHina story, which will probably take place some time in the future.

I should also probably mention that the characters a little bit older in this story (they're all around 17) than in they are in the manga. Plus, in the continuity of this story, the lead-in to the war didn't occur right after the Kage Summit... Both sides have basically been building up in preparation for the upcoming Shinobi War for almost a year by this point.

Anyway, I hope that I was able to shed some further light on things... Please let me know what you all thought of this... I look forward to seeing you guys later!

_-Bojack727_


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